Holographic filter with a wide angular field of view and a narrow spectral bandwidth

ABSTRACT

A holographic optical filter that includes an optical recording medium for storing several multiplexed reflection holograms that are formed by successive interference between two or more collimated object beams with a common collimated reference beam. The object beams are incident to the recording material at a series of angles chosen to provide reflection efficiency over the desired filed of view at the specified wavelength.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.10/170,007, filed Jun. 11, 2002, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/297,307, filed Jun. 11, 2001, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bragg gratings are structures with a periodic variation in therefractive index that are usually formed in optical components such asholograms, waveguides, and optical fibers. These structures reflect anarrow spectral and angular bandwidth of light that is determined by theaverage refractive index of the grating, and the spatial period of therefractive index variation.

The fraction of incident light that is reflected by Bragg gratings isdetermined by the magnitude of the refractive index variation and by thenumber of refractive index periods included in the structure.Reflectivity greater than 99% can be obtained in Bragg structures thathave only 100 μm to 300 μm thickness or optical path length and haverefractive index changes near 0.002. Accordingly, the spectral bandwidthrequired by a particular application is accounted for by the appropriatechoice of hologram thickness, or in the case of waveguides by theoptical path length. The spectral bandwidth of the reflected lightdecreases as the number of refractive index periods increases.Accordingly the spectral bandwidth required by a particular applicationis easily accounted for by appropriate choice of hologram thickness. A300 μm thick Bragg grating, for example, with a reflectivity at 500 nmthat is greater than 99%, will have a spectral bandwidth that is lessthan 0.4 nm, full width half maximum (FWHM). This combination of highreflectivity over narrow spectral bandwidth has several interestingapplications. Bragg reflection gratings, for example, are used inoptical communication as stabilizers for pumped lasers, narrowbandwavelength division multiplexing (WDM) add/drop filters, andgain-flattening filters. Additional applications include narrowbandfilters for laser protection, Raman spectroscopy, wireless opticalcommunication, and light detection and ranging systems (LIDAR). In theseapplications a signal is carried by light of a specific wavelength. Itis, therefore, often necessary in such devices to improve theirsignal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by isolating the signal beam wavelength frompolychromatic background light.

Typical uses of airborne LIDAR systems include the detection ofsubmarines and mines, environmental monitoring, and ocean bottommapping. The signal to noise of LIDAR systems is inversely proportionalto the line width of the filter employed, and is directly proportionalto the level of detection of the desired wavelength.

Two related problems can limit the direct use of a singlenarrow-spectral-bandwidth, reflection hologram to select the desiredsignal beam. First, reflection of light outside the desired spectralbandwidth can be achieved by changing its incident angle to match thedesired Bragg condition of the hologram. However, if this off-wavelengthreflected light is allowed to reach the detector of any device employinga holographic filter, the SNR will be reduced. In addition, signal lightthat is incident outside of a relatively narrow band of incident angleswill not be reflected and the detected signal strength will be less thanthe total signal striking the filter. Further, increasing the thicknessof a reflection hologram, or, for example, the optical pathlength of awaveguide, narrows the spectral bandwidth but also reduces the angularfield of view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention solves these aforementioned problems by using amultiplexed reflection hologram in combination with a spatial filter todetect light signals with a narrow spectral bandwidth over an enhancedangular field of view. The device is constructed to act as anarrow-spectral bandwidth filter that is capable of selectivelyreflecting most of the light in a narrow spectral bandwidth from apolychromatic beam of light with a relatively large angular field ofview.

In one aspect of the invention, a holographic optical filter includes anoptical recording medium for storing several multiplexed reflectionholograms that are formed by successive interference between two or morecollimated object beams with a common collimated reference beam. Theobject beams are incident to the recording material at a series ofangles (β of FIG. 3A), chosen to provide reflection efficiency over thedesired filed of view at the specified wavelength. The angular field ofview can include either angles in a single incident plane, or a cone ofincident angles.

Embodiments of this aspect can include one or more of the followingfeatures. Any light with the same wavelength as the object beams that isincident to the optical recording medium within the angular range β isreflected in a direction parallel to the common reference beam, and anylight with a wavelength different from the object beams that is incidentto the optical recording medium is either transmitted or is reflected ina direction at an angle different from that of the common referencebeam. The common reference beam can be a plane-wave collimated beam.

The above holographic optical element is combined with a spatial filterfor selecting an optical signal of the desired wavelength that ispropagating in a direction parallel to the common reference beam, andfor blocking light of undesired wavelengths that is propagating in allother directions. The spatial filter can be provided with a lens thatfocuses the light that is reflected from the holographic opticalelement, and a pin hole that transmits the focused light with thedesired wavelength, only if it is propagating in the desired direction,and blocks light of wavelengths that differ from the desired wavelength.

In another aspect, the invention features a method of isolating lightwith a narrow spectral bandwidth from light with a broad spectralbandwidth over a large angular field of view by directing a light beamwith multiple wavelengths from over a large angular field of view at amultiplexed reflection hologram, and reflecting light with the desiredwavelength in a direction parallel to an original reference beam.Filtering the light can include directing light reflected from themultiplexed hologram to a spatial filter.

In yet another aspect, the invention features forming a holographicfilter including providing an holographic recording medium, andsuccessively transmitting multiple object beams at the medium from oneside of the medium while transmitting a common reference beam from anopposite side of the medium. Each of the multiple object beams and thereference beam forms a hologram within the holographic recording mediumby interference of the respective object beam and the reference beam.The interference patterns of the multiple holograms are therebysuperimposed to form a multiplexed holographic filter.

In some embodiments, the multiple object beams are incident to themedium over a series of angles chosen to provide reflection efficiencyover the desired angular field of view. The holographic recording mediumcan for example be made of a photopolymerizable material,photorefractive cyrstals or polymers, bleached silver halide film, ordichromated gelatin. The medium can have a thickness between about 50 μmand 5 mm depending upon the particular application of the invention.

Among other advantages, the optical filter of the present inventionprovides a narrow spectral bandpass filter that accepts light over anwide angular field of view without significantly reducing the signal tonoise ratio. Holograms particularly useful for this application are madefrom photopolymerizable materials, but can also be made fromphotorefractive materials, photochromic materials and the like.Photopolymer holograms can be made into a variety of shapes, sizes andthickness consistent with the requirements of this application. Theygenerally exhibit the dynamic range needed for hologram multiplexing,and furthermore the resulting holograms are environmentally stable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tothe same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the invention.

FIG. 1A is an illustration depicting a LIDAR with a receiver thatincludes a holographic filter in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 1B is an illustration of a “last mile” fiber optics network with areceiver that includes a holographic filter in accordance with theinvention.

FIG. 2A is a schematic illustration showing the recording of a singlereflection hologram of a holographic recording medium.

FIG. 2B is a schematic illustration showing the recording of amultiplexed reflection hologram.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the holographic filter used in theapplications shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A description of preferred embodiments of the invention follows.

There are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B implementations of a holographicfilter 10 in accordance with the present invention. In FIG. 1A, a lightdetection and ranging system (LIDAR) system 12 includes a laser source14 and a detector or receiver 16 provided with the holographic filter10. The laser source 14 directs a light beam 18 at an object 20, such asan automobile, airplane, or submarine, which reflects the beam back tothe detector 16. In a LIDAR system used as a range finder, electronicswithin the LIDAR measures the time interval between when the source 14emits the light beam 18 and the detector senses the reflected beam fromthe object 20. The distance between the LIDAR system 12 is then easilycalculated from the product of the measured time interval and the speedof light.

In FIG. 1B, a “last mile” fiber optics network uses an opticaltransmitter 30 located on top of a building 32 that sends opticalsignals 34 to an optical detector 36 provided with the holographicfilter 10 and mounted on top of another building 38. Such an arrangementcan be used in optical telecommunications to communicate betweenbuildings, for example, in a university or corporate campus.

In either of the applications shown in FIG. 1A or 1B, the holographicfilter 10 of the receiver 16, or the detector 36, selects the desiredsignal beam of a particular wavelength from the polychromatic ambientlight over a wide angular field of view.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, there is shown a multiplexedreflection hologram 50 of the holographic filter 10. The multiplexedreflection hologram 50 is stored in a medium 40 formed, for example, ofphotopolymerizable material with a thickness between about 50 μm and 5mm. Examples of photopolymerizable material include, but are not limitedto acrylate, vinyl ether, and epoxy monomoers and/or oligomers. Themedium 40 can be shaped as a disk, square, rectangle or in any othersuitable geometry.

Referring in particular to FIG. 2A, a single hologram 42 _(i) storedwithin the medium 40 is formed by a collimated object beam 44 _(i),I_(i), incident from one side of the medium 40, and a collimatedreference beam 46, R, such that the reference beam 46 is coherent withthe object beam 44, and is incident from the opposite side of the medium40. (Note that i=1, 2, . . . , N identifies a particular hologram.) Theobject beam 44 _(i) and the reference beam 46 overlap within the mediumand thereby create an interference pattern within the medium 40 whichforms the hologram 42 _(i) having a large number of fringes 48 withspacings 51.

Thus as shown in FIG. 2B, the multiplexed reflection hologram 50 is madeof multiple holograms 42 ₁, 42 ₂, . . . , 42 _(N), in which for eachhologram 42 _(i), a respective object beam 44 _(i) is used incombination with the common reference beam 46. As such, the multiplexedreflection hologram 50 is made of superimposed interference patternsfrom the individual holograms 42 _(i). The object beams are incident ata series of angles chosen to provide reflection efficiency over thedesired angular field of view. For example, the multiplexed reflectionhologram 50 has an angular field of view of β generated by a series ofobject beams 44 ₁, 44 ₂, . . . , 44 _(N) incident with the holographicrecording medium over the angle β. All of the object beams 44 ₁, 44 ₂, .. . , 44 _(N), as well as the reference beam 46 have the same wavelengthand are coherent. The angular field of view can include either angles ina single incident plane, or a cone of incident angles.

Particular details of the holographic filter 10 are shown in FIG. 3. Theholographic filter 10 is provided with the multiplexed reflectionhologram 50 stored in the holographic recording medium 40 is positionedwithin a box-like housing 11 with an opening 62. The filter 10 alsoincludes a signal wavelength sensor 58 located a distance from therecording medium 40 and a spatial filter 52 positioned between therecording medium 40 and the wavelength sensor 58.

The spatial filter 52 may include a lens 54 and a pin hole 56, with theholographic medium located on one side of the lens 54 and the pin hole56 located on the opposite side. The lens 54 focuses the reflected lightbeam from the recording medium 40 towards the pin hole 56, such thatonly light with a desired wavelength 57 passes through the pin hole 56to signal wavelength sensor 58.

In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 11 has a width of about 10cm, a length of about 10 cm, and a height of about 10 cm, and is made ofa suitable material such as aluminum, and the opening 62 is about 5 cmby 5 cm. The lens 54 has a diameter of about 3 cm, and the pin hole 56has a diameter between about 50 μm to 500 μm, allowing light withwavelengths between about 400 nm to 1700 nm to pass through the pin hole56. The sensor 58 can be a semiconductor photodiode made from silicon,germanium, or indium\gallium\arsenide or any other suitable material.

In use, incoming light 60 with multiple wavelengths is transmittedthrough the opening 62 of the filter 10 to the multiplexed hologram 50in a manner that light with a desired wavelength, that is, light at thesignal-beam wavelength, is incident upon the multiplexed hologram 50over a range of angles, γ_(i), where the subscript “i” identifies theparticular incident light beam. Any light with the signal-beamwavelength that is incident on the multiplexed hologram, and within therange of angles accepted by the multiplexed hologram, is reflected in acommon direction at an angle α from the multiplexed reflection hologram50, as indicated by the arrow A. Light outside the desired wavelength,that is, the off-wavelength light passes through the hologram 50 in thedirection, for example, of arrow B, or because of Bragg matchingconditions is reflected by the hologram 50. This reflectedoff-wavelength light (arrow C), however, is not reflected in thedirection of the signal wavelength (arrow A). Therefore, since thespatial filter 52 will only pass light of the signal wavelength that isdirected in the direction of arrow A, it will block all light reflectedby the hologram 50 that does not have the desired signal wavelength.Thus, combining the multiplexed hologram 50 with the spatial filter 52in the manner described above provides a narrow spectral bandpass filterthat accepts light over an enhanced angular field of view.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreferences to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may bemade therein without departing from the scope of the inventionencompassed by the appended claims.

1. A method for filtering light, comprising: directing an incident light beam having multiple wavelengths from over a large angular field of view at a multiplexed reflection hologram, any light with a specified wavelength being reflected in a common direction parallel to an original reference beam used to form the multiplexed hologram.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing light reflected from the multiplexed reflection hologram through a filter.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the filter is a spatial filter.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein directing light through a spatial filter includes directing light through a lens to focus the reflected light.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein directing light through a spatial filter includes directing the light after it passes through the lens to a pin hole which transmits light with a desired wavelength and blocks light with undesired wavelengths.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiplexed hologram is formed by successive interference between two or more collimated object beams and the original reference beam.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the angular field of view includes angles in a single incident plane.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the angular field of view includes a cone of incident angles. 